Dharwad residents stranded in Uttarakhand make it to safety

A six-member team of Dharwad residents that was stranded in Uttarakhand has escaped the floods and reached Nainital safely.

The team is expected to reach New Delhi on Wednesday and return to Dharwad by the end of next week. The team comprises senior gynaecologist Sanjiv Kulkarni, physician Guttal, Vivek Yeri, Shobha Sali, Ramesh Tumbarguddi and Muralidhar Kini. Dr. Kulkarni told The Hindu over phone that they were planning to trek through Roopkund, but were unable to do so once heavy rain lashed the region.

They had to stay at a hotel in Gwaldam. “We could neither move towards Roopkund nor return to Nainital for four days as all the roads were blocked. After two days, the downpour stopped and the army personnel helped us return to Nainital. We have come back to Nainital and are safe,” Dr. Kulkarni said.

Dr. Kulkarni said there was no power or telephone connectivity in Gwaldam. The team was unable to communicate with anyone for two days, when their mobile phones ran out of charge. “When the rain stopped and the weather cleared, we did some trekking in the local hills,” Dr. Kulkarni added.